Portret van G.J. Brinkman 1916

This portrait of G.J. Brinkman was made by Lodewijk Schelfhout using etching, a process of mark-making that embraces the accidental. The whole image is built from the accumulation of small, scratchy lines. Look closely and you can see how these lines create tone and texture, from the soft furrows of the sitter’s brow, to the dark pile of his cap. But for me, it’s the etched lines around his eyes that draw me in. They give a sense of the weight of experience and the passage of time. Schelfhout’s use of etching reminds me of Rembrandt, particularly in the way that both artists use the medium to create a sense of intimacy and psychological depth. It’s like you can see the person behind the image. This piece reminds us that art is a conversation, an ongoing dialogue between artists across time. It’s never about fixed meanings, but always about opening up possibilities.